Beyond the weekly duels of the Premier Padel circuit, there is an event that transcends individual stakes: the Padel World Championship for National Teams. Organized by the International Padel Federation (FIP), this biennial competition is an opportunity for the world’s best players to defend their country’s colors.
Officially called the World Padel Championship by the FIP, the event is more widely known as the Padel World Cup, a name frequently used in the media and by the general public.
After the landmark 2024 edition, the padel world is now looking ahead to the next event, scheduled for 2026. Where will this championship take place? What format will the nations compete in?
Here’s everything you need to know about the most prestigious national team padel event.
I. Key Information: Anticipated Date and Venue
The Padel World Championship follows a well-established cycle, allowing for a fairly precise anticipation of the upcoming edition’s main outlines.
Date
The World Championship takes place every two years.
- Period: the competition usually takes place at the end of the year, between September and November, after the high season for individual tournaments.
- 2026 Projection: The 2026 Padel World Championship is expected to be held in October or November 2026.
Venue and Organization
The choice of the host city is managed by the FIP, through a call for tenders addressed to national federations. Criteria include the quality of infrastructure, hosting capacity, and the potential impact on the development of local padel.
- Location: at this stage, the exact site for the 2026 edition has not yet been officially confirmed by the FIP. Several rapidly growing countries, particularly in the Middle East or South America, are regularly among the credible candidates.
- Goal: the FIP now favors destinations capable of hosting a modern complex with a center court offering high media visibility.
II. Competition Format: A Team Event
The World Championship stands out for its team format, where cohesion, squad management, and the strategic choices of captains play a decisive role.
Participants
Sixteen men’s national teams and sixteen women’s national teams qualify for the final phase. Spots are obtained via continental championships and the FIP national ranking.
Match Principles
Each confrontation between two nations is called a “match”.
- Number of Matches: Each match consists of three doubles games.
- Result: The nation that wins two out of three games wins the match.
- Team Management: captains generally have a minimum of four to five players and must form their pairs based on form, complementarities, and game profiles.
Tournament Progression (Final Phase)
The final phase of the World Padel Championship takes place in two stages.
- Group Stage
- The 16 teams are divided into four groups of four.
- Each nation plays against the other three teams in its group.
- The top two teams from each group qualify for the knockout stage.
- Knockout Stage
- The eight qualified teams then compete in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final.
- Teams eliminated in the quarterfinals play ranking matches to determine the final ranking from 5th to 8th place.
III. Major Stakes for 2026
The World Championship is one of the rare competitions where the biggest global stars unite their forces under national pressure, in an often unique atmosphere.
- For Men: the historic rivalry between Spain and Argentina remains the main theme of the competition. Behind this duel, nations like France or Italy are now aiming for a lasting spot in the final four.
- For Women: Spain historically dominates the women’s honors list, but Italy and the Netherlands are rapidly progressing and aim to secure a podium finish.
Beyond the title, the Padel World Championship showcases the global level of play and is a powerful development lever for national federations.
Key takeaways
- The World Padel Championship is organized every two years by the FIP.
- The 2026 edition is expected in autumn, likely in October or November.
- 16 men’s and 16 women’s nations participate in the final phase.
- The format is based on team matches, consisting of three games.
- The host venue has not yet been officially announced.
Official Sources and References
